Flue-cleaner.



J. W. BROWN.

FLUE GLBANER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11, 1908.

903,664. Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

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' UNITED STATES PiTENT OFFICE.

JAMES WM. BROWN, OF WINNSBORO, TEXAS.

ruin-CLEANER.

Application filed. March 11, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES TV. BROWN, a citizen of the United States,residing at \Vinnsboro, in the county of Vood and State of Texas, haveinvented a new and useful F lue-Cleaner, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention relates to improvements in flue cleaners.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction offine cleaners, and to provide a simple, inexpensive and efficient one,designed for removing scale and other accumulation from the fines ofsteam I boilers, and adapted, when worn, to have its flue-engagingmembers readily renewed at a small cost.

Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claimshereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form,proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope ofthe claims, may be resorted to without departin from the spirit orsacrificing any of the ac vantages of the invention.

In the drawing :Figure 1 is a side elevation of a flue cleaner,constructed in accordance with this invention, and shown applied to aboiler tube. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the fluecleaner. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View on the line 33 of Fig. 2.Fig. a is a similar view on the line H of Fig. 2.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawing.

The flue cleaner is provided. with a body portion consisting of acylindrical metallic shell 1, having a solid front or outer end 2 andprovided with an inner open end 3, adapted to receive a handle at,constructed of either wood or metal. The handle is provided with anenlarged end 5 to fit within the open end of the shell, and it issecured to the same by means of radially ar ranged screws 6, or othersuitable fastening devices piercing the inner end of the shell andengaging the enlarged portion of the handle. The enlarged portion 5 ofthe handle is provided with a flange 5 to fit against the inner or rearend of the shell 1, and it is tapered, as shown, to enable the cleaner,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

Serial No. 420,471.

when extended entirely through a flue, to be readily drawn back into thesame.

The shell or body is provided at intervals with openings 7, arranged inpairs, the members of each pair being located diametrically oppositeeach other. The pairs of openings, which are located at different pointsalong the shell and in different positions around the same, receiveflue-engaging members consisting of steel wires 8, passed through thesaid openings and wound around a portion of the periphery of thecylindrical shell, forming exteriorly arranged arcuate engaging portionsdisposed transversely of the shell. The arcuate portions are preferablysemicircular, each pair of openings receiving two flueengaging members,the wires thereof being wound around the opposite portions of the flue,as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, the terminals 9 of the wiresbeing lo cated within the shell. The curved exteriorly arranged engagingor scraping portion of each member extends partially around thecylindrical body and is supported by the same. One set of openings arearranged at points mid-way between the openings of the contiguous set,so that the terminals of the outer scraping portions of one set ofmembers will be arranged at the centers of the scraping portions of theadjacent members. This will enable the flue cleaner to scrapeeffectively at all points around a flue. The fine engaging devices ormembers are designed to be constructed of scraps of wire, and they maybe renewed from time to time so that the flue cleaner may be maintainedin a condition substantially as good as new at comparatively a verysmall cost.

The wire is closely wrapped to form the arcuate flueengaging members,and they are adapted to scrape the scale and other accumulation from thefines of steam boilers, as will be readily understood. The flue cleaneris also equipped with a flexible scraping disk 10, constructed ofrubber, or other suitable material and secured against the front closedend of the shell 1 by means of a bolt 11 and a nut 12, a metallic Washerbeing preferably interposed between the nut and the elastic disk 10 tostiffen the latter. The head of the bolt fits against the inner face ofthe closed end 2, which is provided with a rectangular perforation toreceive a squared portion 14 of the bolt. The squared portion 14prevents the bolt from rotating when the nut is being screwed on or oil'the bolt. The disk, which is oi greater diameter than the cylindricalshell, projects beyond the same and is adapted to scrape from a flue theloose ashes, soot, etc., not removed by the flue-engaging members.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is v '1. A flue cleaner comprising acylindrical body provided with transversely arranged openings, andflue-engaging members constructed of wire passed through the saidopenings and wrapped around portions of the body to form exteriorlyarranged curved scraping portions, the scraping portion of each memberbeing extended partially around and supported by the periphery of thebody.

2. A flue cleaner comprising a cylindrical body provided at differentpoints throughout its length and at different points along its peripherywith transversely arranged openings, and flue-engaging members arrangedin pairs and constructed of wire passed through the said openings, thewire of each flueengaging member being wrapped around a separate portionof the body and forming arcuate exterior scraping portions.

3. A flue cleaner comprising a cylindrical shell open at its inner endto receive a handie and provided at its outer end with a solid closedportion, said shell being provided between its ends with transverselyarranged openings, flueengaging members constructed of wire passedthrough the said openings and wrapped around portions of the shellforming exterior arcuate scraping portions, and a flexible scraping disksecured to the solid closed end of the shell.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing my own, I have hereto athxed mysignature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES WM. BROWN.

lVitnesses:

ROY M. SMITH, H. BLUMER.

